Paying interest on a $16.4 trillion debt (add $3.5 billion every day), spending a trillion annually on entitlements (welfare) and billions on pork and corruption isn’t a problem? Borrowing 46 cents of every dollar spent isn’t a problem? Comforting thought? John Kerry, of Vietnam ill repute and reported North Vietnam War museum hero recognition, is the next Secretary of State. He will replace Hillary Clinton, whose claim to fame is travel to 112 countries. Other Obama nominees are no better — Chuck Hagel, Jack Lew and John Brennan.

Of course, he has full confidence in them. They, like puppet Harry Reid, will be obedient. Beware of the enemy within.

Murel Fisk

Escondido

U-T editors out of touch

Re: “Gun laws: The photo op vs. reality,” Editorial, Jan. 17: The editors of the U-T San Diego are the ones who are out of touch with realty. They state that Harry Reid (D-Nev) understands that the majority of Americans (Democrats) want to keep existing gun laws, which is untrue. Of course, they didn’t bring up major Republican support to keep the status quo.

Americans (Democrats and Republicans) do want a change. They want a stop on the sale of military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines and a criminal-background check for every gun sold in this country. Police and mayors across the country want this. The National Rifle Association and Rush Limbaugh do not run this country.

Gabby Giffords was gunned down at a shopping mall, along with others, and what did Congress do? Nothing. One of their own and they did nothing.

This needs to be taken out of the hands of Congress. Their approval rating of 9 percent proves that they are not capable of making any important decisions.

Our veterans coming home from the wars have discipline and leadership abilities. They need jobs. The present pathetic Congress needs to be replaced with people who love their country and know how to work with each other.

Penny Ostergaard

Oceanside

Historical record is tough to refute

The attempts by secularists John Terrell (“Religious diversity mandates secular government,” Jan. 18) and Gerold Firl (“Our secular, humanistic republic,” Jan. 18) to refute the U.S. government’s official view of the central role of religion in our democracy’s origins fall flat.

Terrell claims that the Library of Congress’ documentary exhibit, “Religion and the Founding of the American Government” (www.loc.gov/exhibits/religion), doesn’t need refuting; it “just needs context.” So he routes us to the LOC’s American History exhibit segments, “American Revolution” and “The New Nation 1785-1815.”

However, his two routes actually — merely — take us to the exhibit he’s claiming to challenge! When he points to “the words of George Washington, Ben Franklin,” etc., he’s pointing to the documents in this exhibit! So Terrell should apologize for his deception (Check for yourself: www.loc.gov/exhibits and then search for his two topics).

Firl also trips up. Contrary to what he alleges, I’m not the primary one claiming that the religious revival of the mid-18th century greatly helped set the stage for the American Revolution and the establishment of our government. If you go to the above exhibit, you discover that its introduction, written by authority of our own Library of Congress, is making the claim, not just me.

LOC’s historical record is tough to refute.

Howard Killion

Oceanside

Obama can’t abide by his oath

President Obama took an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States.

How can he swear to uphold the Constitution when, on many occasions, he has stated that it is intention to fundamentally change our country?

Nothing in the Constitution authorizes the president to fundamentally change our country.

Frank Thurlow

Vista

Suggesting words for Congress

Almost every letter by Connie Frankowiak that is printed contains the phrases “robber barons their stooges.” This is irritating.

I usually agree with her comments about our government. I just wish that, in the future, if more of her letters are printed, that phrase is omitted and the words “congress members” are inserted (which means the same, but sounds less stupid).

Jay Sullivan

Oceanside

Good ideas for preventing school tragedies

My 90-year-old friend and I were discussing the recent tragic school shooting in Connecticut, and she said, “You know, they should have fire drills every week, or at least every month.”

We discussed this for awhile, and the “fire drills” evolved into “emergency drills,” where the children would practice getting under their desks, behind bookcases and into any available closets, or even lying down and pretending to be dead.

The proposal for the teachers to constantly lock their classroom doors, as suggested by Laurel DeFalco of Oceanside on Dec. 20, 2012 (“Guns, schools and common sense”), is an excellent idea. Ultimately, the suggestions for closer monitoring of persons whose mental attitude seems to be breaking down and the possibility of a more rigid gun control appear to be helpful.

And down the road, as new school buildings are being constructed, consideration could be given to incorporating ideas where children could slip behind a short wall or piece of furniture and not be seen. These suggestions would be incorporated over a time span, certainly a time-consuming program but if it ultimately saved only one life, it would certainly be worth it.

I think my 90-year-old friend definitely has a good idea.

Arlene Roberts

Oceanside

All is well?

Well, I am sure most of us have all been wondering how much per paycheck (pension check) the federal government would be deducting per the “averting the fiscal cliff” legislation recently signed — my contribution a month is a little under $100.

I have to remind myself, though, that this money is going for a good cause. The president imposed an executive order on the nation about a month ago — another one — because our congress members and vice president have been doing such a phenomenal job in conducting the business of the nation, the president’s executive order made sure they got a pay raise. Certainly, well spent.

There are tax dollars still left over after the legislators and vice president get their raise. I know President Obama, despite Congress’ objection, saw fit to release $1.3 billion in foreign aid to the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt. Hmmm, maybe we could continue to help the Brotherhood with the remainder of the new taxes?

So, I am sure, as you buy less groceries, gas and have fewer recreational opportunities, you will burst with pride knowing that all is well moving forward.

Nick Ricc

Oceanside

Abortion not a ‘medical’ choice

Re: “Removing barriers to choice,” Jan. 19: When a woman becomes bulimic and purges food, we consider it a grave disorder. When a woman becomes pregnant and purges her unborn child, we consider it a “medical” choice?

Many of us feel that is not a “medical” choice, but a grave moral disorder.

Anne Charlton

Lake San Marcos

Get rid of ‘old style’ trains

While nostalgic, it’s time to get rid of the “old style” passenger trains and their tracks, and replace them with monorails and high-speed trains down the middle of, or alongside, freeways (which is also something to mitigate for, and minimize, widening freeways).

The “old style” trains are heavier than needed for passengers and therefore more costly to operate. Imagine getting rid of the tracks that separate parts of cities, mar the coastlines and prevent beach access. Imagine fast monorails that follow the freeways, taking us up I-5, I-405 and I-15 to anywhere those freeways go — faster, safer and more comfortably than cars (especially those sitting in traffic). Imagine being able to get to and from San Diego quickly rather than on a slow train that must take the grade that swings out to Miramar. Imagine the current railroad tracks removed so that all of the towns and cities from San Diego to Los Angeles can use the space for parks, trails, and downtown business expansions.

Imagine no train tracks to inhibit accessing the beaches from Del Mar up to Capistrano. And imagine no noise and danger from the old-style trains.

Now, let’s have some real vision for a better future, make plans and get started.

Mark Tiddens

Solana Beach

Schwarzenegger’s return to the silver screen

I was pleased to note today that Arnold Schwarzenegger’s new movie, “The Last Stand,” had a terrible box office for the opening weekend.

When, as Governor Schwarzenegger, he reduced the prison term of Esteban Nunez by more than 50 percent because of a friendship with his father, he joined Roman Polanski and Jane Fonda on my list of Hollywood celebrities who would never see a dollar of mine again.

I can only hope that it was a similar reaction that caused people to stay home but, it was probably just a bad movie.

Jim Mallen

San Marcos

Our children deserve more

I was disappointed to read Logan Jenkins’ column on Jan. 19 (“Gun violence laws are on demand”). I was sadden when I read the sentence, “Nevertheless, new laws, even if problematic in their net effect, must be passed.”

We have dozens, if not hundreds, of gun control laws already, obviously ineffective, and the solution is to pass more ineffective laws? I understand Logan’s angst and emotional desire to do something. But the answer is “no.”

I am not a gun owner. I have no gun to restrict, license or confiscate. Still, I am frustrated and angry with the lack of political and media leadership I am seeing on the gun control issue. Where are the adults?

Our leaders, and media, are not demanding to understand the problems of gun shootings and fix the problem. Instead we have a rush to pass some “new law” so we can feel good and move on. How childish and selfish of us. New laws which will be “problematic in their effect,” a polite way to say “totally worthless.”

The result will be nothing changes and nothing is fixed. The memory of the children of Sandy Hook deserve more. Our children deserve more.

Patrick Kearns

Cardiff

Payroll tax holiday is not a new tax

It is disappointing to read that many people have the idea that new payroll taxes have been imposed as of the first of the year.

That is not the case.

In 2011, President Obama instituted, for one year, a “payroll tax holiday,” which reduced the amount of Social Security taxes employees had to pay from 6.2 percent to 4.2 percent. He felt it would help struggling workers and the economy.

The global warming scam is just that, for a doubling of CO2 does not double the warming; it is a logarithmic increase limited to about a 2.3 degrees Celsius, no matter how much CO2 is put into the atmosphere.

The Beer-Lambert Law also shows that logarithmic curve (http://teaching.shu.ac.uk/hwb/chemistry/tutorials/molspec/beers1.htm).

Try this experiment, http://cleanet.org/clean/community/activities/c2.html. I did it five times (two $6 packets of Alka seltzer, two $25 digital thermometers and two days), and found I never got the 9 degrees Celsius rise it was supposed to prove, only about 2.8 degrees Celsius.

Also, it didn’t matter how much CO2 entered the test, it did not raise the CO2 level. You will never get more than a couple of degrees Celsius rise. This was supposed to prove the heat rise of added CO2, but it did not.

I attended a class on coral responses to increasing ocean acidification at Scripps. This subject appears to be in its beginning stages, so this should not be accepted as a “scare” dogma. Natural oceanic pH varies from 6.9 to 9-plus, and various organisms cope with different acidic degrees.

Irvin Forbing

Escondido

Darrell Issa, MIA

I have tried to contact my congressman, Darrell Issa, multiple times and have never had a response. He is so busy persecuting the Obama administration with his muckraking committee that he doesn’t have time for the people in his district.

My last request to Congressman Issa was that he try and work with President Obama to solve our country’s long list of serious problems. Nada.

I am more conservative than liberal, however, I am completely befuddled by Congressman Issa’s positions. For example, why not have background checks for all gun purchases and make it harder for a mad man to get military-level, semi-automatic weapons? Why oppose limiting ammunition clips to slow down the carnage? Why oppose increasing the punishment for people who illegally provide criminals with guns?

For heaven’s sake, some of those poor first-grade children had been shot 11 times and more than 1,000 Americans have been killed by guns in the brief month since the massacre.

Congressman Issa is too busy to communicate because he is off looking for another “tempest in a tea pot.” It would be a better use of my time to work toward getting common sense representation in Congress.

David Toman

Carlsbad

Obama never held accountable

Edward R. Murrow would roll over in his grave if he could see the demise of the Fourth Estate, as it has become nothing more than a shill for the Democratic Party.

Barack Obama has been given a free pass for four years by the “lamestream” media, which helped get him re-elected, and the media continues to treat him with kid gloves, tossing him the softest of balls when they are given the opportunity to question the anointed one.

Regarding the debt ceiling, here is a quote from 2006 from then Senator Obama: “Increasing America’s debt weakens us domestically and internationally. I therefore intend to oppose the effort to increase America’s debt limit.”

Hmmm. At that time, the debt was a measly $8.2 trillion (it has since ballooned under the “spender in chief” to over $16 trillion, going toward $20 trillion).

So, one has to wonder why not a single one of the major networks, newspapers or cable outlets have questioned him on his previous stance on raising the debt limit. Answer? It’s not a hardball and the enabling press only throws underhanded to Barack.

John Moore

Oceanside

Explaining inalienable rights and the Constitution

James McCord (“Put an end to gun culture,” Jan. 20) and Bruce Thompson (“The need for a well-regulated militia,” Jan. 3 and “‘God-given right to bear arms’?” Jan. 21), a repeat offender, misunderstand the Constitution’s Bill of Rights in general and the Second Amendment specifically.

McCord doesn’t understand that the Second Amendment’s term “well-regulated” means properly supplied or provisioned to maintain a militia (army of the people), not to be confused with the government’s standing army.

Thompson’s letter typifies the lack of knowledge liberals have of the Constitution and its purpose. The Constitution’s Bill of Rights does not grant any rights. The preamble to the Declaration of Independence states “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.” To ratify the Constitution, the states required amendments that spelled out the constraints on the government. These constraints became known as the Bill of Rights.

If people would take the time to read the Federalist Papers, they would have a better understanding of the Constitution’s intent. The Second Amendment does not say that the citizen has the right to bear arms. It says that the government cannot infringe on that already existing right. The other nine are similarly worded.

Of course, no one is forcing anyone to exercise their rights, so please, don’t infringe on mine.

Daniel Prinzing

Encinitas

The Prop. 30 lie

So, it’s being hailed as a big surprise that Governor Brown lied when he said that the taxes generated by Proposition 30 would be “directed into a dedicated fund for public schools that the legislature can’t touch.”

Well, the new budget confirmed that not only were the funds touched, they were violated, and so was the public trust with news that over 25 percent of the new monies have already been redirected to state employees. The only people actually shocked by this revelation are the well-intentioned but ignorant Californians who voted yes on Prop. 30. The rest of us already knew that our governor and legislature are unworthy of public trust and their greed to satisfy the special interests who put them in office is insatiable.

Voter ignorance has now given California the highest personal income and sales tax rate in the nation. Have no doubt that redirecting Prop. 30 monies will result in shortfalls for schools and there will soon be new pleas for funds. When that happens, ignore the threats of dire consequences and remember this despicable lie as you vote no to any new tax increases.

Karen Lindsey

Escondido

SANDAG disses Oceanside

As a fairly recent resident of Oceanside, I have followed the Mayor Woods/San Diego Association of Governments saga and his eventual removal from SANDAG.

Living the traffic nightmares in Oceanside, one would logically agree that the city council took prudent action on behalf of its residents. What I cannot understand is why SANDAG neglected to recognize Oceanside with a regional committee assignment, considering it is San Diego’s third largest city with a population of about 183,000, or 13 percent of San Diego County.

Oceanside was good enough for SANDAG when Mayor Wood was on the committee, but now not important enough without him? SANDAG approved Solana Beach with a population of 13,000, or 1 percent of San Diego County, as part of the Sandag Regional Committee with a council member, Lesa Heebner.

This transparent dis from SANDAG toward Oceanside is perplexing and very bad judgment, which further damages our city’s potential growth. I think SANDAG owes Oceanside residents an explanation.

Diane Fencl

Oceanside

Guns kill

The horrific crime committed against children in Newtown is only surpassed by the slaughter of over a million Jewish children by the Nazis and tens of thousands of Armenian children killed by the Turks.

The monster who killed the children in the school was Adam Lanza, using an assault rifle. On the same day, Dec. 14, a psychopath attacked schoolchildren in China. He used a meat cleaver and the result was 23 children injured.

Before he could kill any, he was driven off by the people who wielded broomsticks. While we can never prevent a psychopath attacking innocents, we should notice the type of weapons used: a rapid-fire assault rifle versus a meat cleaver. ...

I enjoyed target shooting and hunting, but only used single-shot rifles and did not enjoy using the M-16 when I was in Vietnam, nor firing a machine gun, or rifle grenade. ...

I doubt that our forefathers who wrote the Second Amendment had anything in mind but ownership of single-shot weapons. Perhaps we need an interpretation by the Supreme Courts in regards to what is meant by “bearing arms”?

Hugo Holzmann

Solana Beach

Clear our homeless, too

It seems lately that we have been reading about homeless people being rousted from their bushes and always near some prominent place such as Costco, but the ones living off Myers Road bordering San Marcos and Escondido are neglected, although they are only a few hundred yards from the new and shiny hospital on the hill above them.

I wonder if the odors carry that far as they continue to defecate, urinate and pile their garbage in among the trees and bushes they live in.

They also have quite a collection of shopping carts that may be of interest to the markets they were stolen from. Letters have been written to the cities of San Marcos and Escondido and also to the county of San Diego, bringing this situation to their attention, but so far, the feces in one form or the other seems to continue to grow and collect the vermin that thrive along such filth.

The open fires they build at night also seem to be a hazard, seeing that they live among trees and bushes and adjacent to a field of dry weeds next to a mobile-home park for senior citizens that only has one exit and an evacuation in case of fire would be a disaster, to say the least.